June 2006 | Vol. 24, No. 6

Deficit Reduction Act Update

As you all know, the devastating reimbursement cuts for vascular ultrasound studies included in the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), which is scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2007, threaten the viability of our profession and affects all vascular ultrasound providers and patients. The Society for Vascular Ultrasound has no higher priority than this issue, and we have taken a very focused and sophisticated approach to addressing these dramatic and disproportionate cuts to vascular ultrasound through our Washington representatives and in conjunction with the broader Access to Medical Imaging Coalition ("AMIC"). This Coalition, which is made up manufacturers, providers, patients and others, has aimed at delaying the implementation of these reimbursement reductions through new legislation, a challenging but worthwhile effort in this election year.

We must make clear that this effort is a difficult one. SVU, in conjunction with SDMS, has embarked on a well-deliberated course to lessen the impact of these cuts on our members and their patients; however, it is unlikely that we will be able to restore all of the reductions that Congress passed as part of the Deficit Reduction Act. Numerous SVU members have asked us what they can do to help SVU’s legislative and regulatory advocacy effort on the DRA. As mentioned, we are taking a deliberate and well conceived approach and at this time we are not asking for an all out Congressional contact campaign by SVU members. We would, however, welcome your involvement and support, and that of others who have an interest in this effort, when we ask for it in the near future. If you have a personal relationship with a Member of Congress, please let SVU Executive Director Steve Haracznak in the SVU national office know of that relationship as it could be very beneficial to our legislative efforts on the DRA.

In addition, voluntary contributions to the SVU Government Relations Fund are always appreciated. SVU will contact the SVU membership by email to get involved when the time is right to do so. Thank you for understanding and for your support of SVU.

Bill Schroedter, BS, RVT FSVU
Chair, SVU Government Relations Committee